NMSU-A Theatre on the Hill Guild Cast in the Lodge Murder Mystery Weekend

February 26, 2017

Advertised as "Grease Can Kill", members of the Rohovec Theatre on the Hill Guild of New Mexico State University-Alamogordo wrote, produced, and acted in a weekend murder mystery dinner theater that ran from February 24-26, 2017 at the Lodge in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. The Lodge had SRO for this event and the interaction with the guests was terrific. Prizes were awarded for first, second and third place to those who had the best guesses of "who done it" as well as figuring out the motive(s) for the murder. There was also a "booby prize" for whomever had the most bizarre description of the murderer and their motive.

As always, the Lodge provided excellent champagne cocktail hours for Friday and Saturday evening and a fabulous buffet dinner as well. Sunday morning at the reveal, a scrumptious breakfast buffet was well attended and enjoyed. There were guests from Lubbock, Snyder, El Paso and Mineral Wells, Texas;  Albuquerque, Alamogordo, Roswell, Carlsbad and Las Cruces, New Mexico as well as locals from Cloudcroft, making a total 117 attending.

Julia Newton and Keddy Richardson

Harry Crinklaw and Tony Calderon

Andrea Garcia applying her makeup

Keddy Richardson

Kathy Barnes and Philipp Hedfeld

Harry Crinklaw and JD Hilliard

L to R: Angie Basurto, Mary Cobb and Kyrsten Horgan

L to R: Deborah Cobb, Keddy Richardson and Angie Basurto

L to R: Mary Cobb, Julia Newton and Kyrsten Horgan

Andrea Garcia as Detective Mavis Hunter

Geowie Mosquedo, Crew member delux

L to R: Keddy, Deborah, Julia, Mary and Angie "Pink Ladies"

Back Row: JD Hilliard, Harry Crinklaw, Philipp Hedfeld, Keddy Richardson, Mary Cobb, Kathy Barnes. Front Row: Andrea Garcia, Julia Newton, Angie Basurto, Kyrsten Horgan, Deborah Cobb, Carla Kerr, Ulrike Burgheim and Tom Burgheim and last but not least, down in front is Tony Calderon.

NMSU-A Drama Professor Connie Breding, and Carolyn Dittmer (co-authors of the murder mystery script) diligently working to package up prizes to be given to audition winner, best costume and winner of the booby prize.

Random shot of crowd at the Sunday breakfast

Back Left: Carolyn Dittmer giving Kim Featherstone her award for best costume

Right: JD Hilliard announcing award for second place in solving the crime

JD, and Carla Kerr (Guild President), continuing to conduct the award ceremony

First Place Winners (regret not getting names)

Everyone appeared to have had an excellent experience and from all the comments, many will return next year for another go at it. Murder mystery theater is primarily improvisation and, as such, actors must use their imaginations and talent to the fullest extent to entertain and interact with the guests, answering the many questions asked by the guests as they strive to determine the identity of the murderer as well as the motive. Many of the guests have been to a number of these productions around the country and they are serious about solving the murder and winning the prize(s).

Thanks to Geowie Mosquedo for stepping in as photographer for several of the photos published here.

This is all I have to say for now.

Theatre on the Hill Guild Showcases Six One Act Plays

September 9-11, 2016

The Theatre on the Hill at New Mexico State University-Alamogordo was host to local playwrights, showcasing six one-act plays as a fund raiser for the Theatre on the Hill Guild. This is the brainchild of Drama Professor Connie Breding and is her third year of directing this particular event. Due to the comedic content in this years offerings, Connie came up with the title "Funny Zone" encompassing all plays involved.

Playwrights and plays presented are Carla C. Crittenden The Colors of Living Life; Carolyn Dittmer My Civic Duty; Andrea Garcia Choir Practice Catastrophe; Julia Newton Silver Lining; Roque Rosales Adding Oranges; and Bob Trowbridge Full Moon at the Rest Stop.

A Silent Auction was also conducted to raise more funds for the Theatre on the Hill Guild and it was very successful as well. Thanks to Carolyn Dittmer for all of her efforts in running this Silent Auction.
AND a huge thanks to businesses in the community who contributed items for the auction.

I apologize now for not having pictures of each play, but my husband, Doug, was able to take pictures at dress rehearsal of The Colors of Living Life which you will see below. I missed dress rehearsal due to illness so I am missing in the pictures, but am in the last photo of the cast along with members of the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of the Red Hat Society.

The Colors of Living Life is a play about an imaginary Red Hat chapter in New Mexico called Red or Green Chili Peppers.

L to R: Monica Helm, Kathy Barnes, Jan Wafful, Victoria Kennedy, Keddy Richardson, Ulrike Burgheim and Angela Basurto engaging in conversation while doing adult coloring

Discussion of Leigh Ann Parker's (Kathy) recent marriage

L to R: Monica, Angela, Kathy and Jan as Angela shows off her "substantial" diamond engagement ring

Everyone doing their exercise of the day led by Keddy (standing)

Playing "Happy Birthday" with Kazoos, the official musical instrument of the Red Hat Society

Reaction to an announcement of an upcoming event where they can exercise the official sport of Red Hatting "Shopping"

Front Row L to R: Keddy, Ulrike, Carla Kerr, Gail Swineford, Donna Williams, Victoria. Back Row L to R: Kathy, Angela, Jan W., Monica, Jan Jennings and Trudy Reese. This was taken after the Sunday Matinee outside the Theatre on the Hill.

All of the plays were well received and playwrights and actors were paid high compliments by attendees. It was a lot of fun and I look forward to next year when we do it again. Incidentally, the next offering at the Rohovec Theatre on the Hill is Steel Magnolias which is already in rehearsal. You won't want to miss this one! The production dates are November 11-12 and 18-20, 2016 so mark your calendar to remind you.

Thanks to Douglas A. Kerr, Photographer for taking these pictures for us.

This is all I have to say for now.